I’m getting tired of sales calls. I get them several times a week now, despite being on the all but worthless Do Not Call list. Cell phones are not supposed to get unsolicited calls, since the owners often have to pay for the minutes. But my husband gets them frequently. What’s worse, these calls are getting more and more obnoxious, …
Will the Real 15-Year-Old Please Stand Up?
Last night was Back To School Night for my highschooler. BTSN is an event held at all the public schools where you go to each of your child’s classes in turn for about ten minutes. The teachers introduce themselves and talk about goals, objectives, teaching methods, expectations, etc. The building is brand new, huge, and three floors. I took Mira …
10 Things That Brighten My Day – Sort Of
My oldest left for Italy this week. You can read more about that in my shared blog. She is earning her BFA in photography, so she will be living in Florence for four months, taking beautiful pictures and studying Italian art history. I miss her already. There are some things that make me feel better when I feel bad. Some …
“I Don’t Have to Shower – I’m a Boy”
Pray for me. This week my son turned 13. Last month my youngest daughter turned 13. The next oldest is 15. I am now the mother of three teenagers, and will be for the next five years. Two are girls. You have no idea how much drama takes place in my house on a daily basis. Choosing who sits in …
Teaching Kids to Tame the Tongue
This week, my middle-school children faced some disturbing news about one of the adults in their life. It involved a teacher, and the news came via a recorded phone call from the principal about an hour after school. Within moments, literally, the news went viral on any and all social networks. (And it amazes me how many there are—far more …
One in Six – We Can Change That Number
Our family often goes to lunch after church on Sunday, but this week we will staying after service and buying slices of pizza for $2 each. We’ll probably eat standing up and chatting with others around us, and all there will be to drink will be water. Sound appetizing? The reason is every three months or so the children host a …
Genghis Khan, Softball and Seeking
This is what we call The Glare. When M steps up to the plate with The Glare, balls will fly, bases will be taken, runs will be scored. John’s gotten to where he can tell before she can how well she’ll hit the ball. He often videos her at-bats on his iPhone. One snippet we love to watch has him …
The Good, the Bad and the Annoying
Tuesday was my birthday. The kids were all home because of Hurricane Sandy. We only got a lot of rain so we still had power, which is nice since we tend to lose power at least once each winter, and sometimes summer storms as well. The county, for a reason that escapes me, canceled school through Tuesday on Sunday morning. …
The Funniest Names I Ever Heard
About a year ago, in the car, Emma mentioned that she had mispronounced a classmate’s name that morning and the girl had become quite angry. I responded that I was surprised she was not more forgiving. “After all, in this area there are so many unusual names. It’s not like everyone is named Bill or Sally.” Suddenly, from the back …
A Thousand Tiny Memories
I remember the first time I felt like I had officially joined “The Moms’ Club.” I went out to eat with a girlfriend. I took Emma along—she was a couple years old. As I searched in my purse for a pen to sign the check, I could find only a few crayons. I was quite excited, and I’m sure the …